This has been one of my favorites for a long time and I’m going to make the boards following the blog for instructions – I can’t wait to get started.

I have one question though and I’m sure there’s an easy answer that I could not find myself. When you use mineral oil (or any oil for that matter) to seal the board and then apply bees wax – don’t you have to remove the wax to re-oil the board to keep it supple? I’ve never done the bees wax route – but I can certainly see where it would really make the board look great.

9 replies so far

The purpose of reoil is protecting the board from water damage.As long as the wax is on the surface, the area is safe.Just reoil after using for a while ( how often is depending on usage), that’s enoughto keep the board in good shape.I’ve done this way past 16 years, it’s been working and I’m sure it’ going to wrok fora long time.

I use pure tung oil, walnut oil, or mineral oil. I’ve heard that any type of pure oil would be ok but cooking oils, which get stale and smelly.

I heat the mineral oil and melt beeswax into it. I then apply the hot liquid on a new board. When the mixture cools, it becomes the consistency of Vaseline. I use this soft paste to re-oil boards by just wiping it on, waiting 15 minutes and wiping off the excess. If the board is real dry, the re-application will soak in and you have to oil it again.

In actual use, washing the board off regularly removes the oil and wax on the surface to the point where the board will feel dry to the touch. Wiping this oil/beeswax mixture back on it will make it look and feel new again.

Yes, I strongly concur with our friend at dgmwoodworks.com tis the only way. Bee’s wax will liquify at 140 degrees and become one with the mineral oil. I understand if you over heat the mixture you may lose the goodness of the wax. I use a meat thermometer to check the temp.

Call me a pragmatist- or anything else except late for supper- but if the cutting board is to be used daily, the extra work of apply/maintaining the mineral oil/bee’s wax concoction seems unwarranted. The mineral oil will help protect the wood- admitted with less sheen- but for a working board the sheen is really not that important.

I have made my own mineral oil and beeswax mixture for some of my earlier boards.Now I prefer to use Howards Butcher Block Conditioner.It is mineral oil beeswax and carnauba wax already to go. Just wipe on, wait 20 minutes,wipe off excess. Repeat several times. Then I let it stand for a few days and buff.The boards look great, and I give the unused portion of the bottle with the board.That way it can easily be conditioned by the owner, the instructions are on the bottle.

Somebody mentioned walnut oil. Be careful about this, and some other oils, as there are some people who are very allergic to walnuts and could be adversely affected by even traces of walnut oil.

I know somebody for whom walnuts and sesame seeds (and their oils) are an very unpleasant experience. Her husband carries a vial of anti-allergic stuff whenever they go out – and has had to use it at least once.